Smørrebrød with Dyrlægens Natmad
Dyrlægens natmad © kvalifood.com
Dyrlægens natmad is probably the most famous named smørrebrød in Denmark and originates from Oskar Davidsen’s restaurant in Copenhagen, where it was created for veterinarian Sigurd Keilgaard as a late-night snack after long evenings. The dish combines liver pâté and salt beef on a single slice of rye bread with beef jelly, raw onion rings and cress — a formula that has remained unchanged for over a hundred years. It is a substantial smørrebrød with deep, salty and meaty flavours, where the jelly adds a gelatinous richness and the raw onion provides sharpness. Dripping instead of butter is the authentic version and adds an extra layer of flavour. This is a smørrebrød where you do not improvise — the formula is fixed, and that is the whole point.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Beef jelly
- 3 dl strong beef stock
- 2 sheets gelatine (or 1 tsp gelatine powder)
- salt
Assembly
- 4 slices dark rye bread
- butter, for the bread
- 4 slices liver pâté
- 8 thin slices salt beef
- beef jelly (see above, cooled and set)
- 1 red onion, cut into thin rings
- cress
- coarsely ground black pepper
- dripping (optional, in place of butter)
Directions
Beef jelly
Heat the stock. Dissolve the gelatine in the hot liquid. Pour into a shallow dish (about ½ cm deep). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set. Cut into cubes or slices.
Assembly
Butter the rye bread (or use dripping for a more authentic version). Lay liver pâté on one half and slices of salt beef on the other — they should overlap in the middle. Distribute pieces of jelly across the top. Add raw red onion rings. Top with cress. Scatter coarsely ground pepper over.
Note: Dyrlægens natmad is a fixed formula. Do not substitute or add — that is the whole point.